Not Without a Fight
by TheFourthPeverell
Summary: “The thing is, it helps when people stand up to them, it gives everyone hope.” Ginny, Neville and Luna have been sentenced to a life at Hogwarts under the reign of Snape and the Carrows, but they aren’t going down without a fight.
1. A Different Beginning

**Not Without a Fight**

**Summary**

"The thing is, it helps when people stand up to them, it gives everyone hope." Ginny, Neville and Luna have been sentenced to a life at Hogwarts under the reign of Snape and the Carrows, but they aren't going down without a fight.

**Chapter One: A Different Beginning**

Ginny dragged her trunk through the corridor of the Hogwarts Express in search of an empty compartment. When she finally found one she opened the door, shoved her trunk into the overhead locker, sat down and stared out the window.

Thinking.

Thinking about Harry, and where he was now. A part of her hoped that he was thinking about her too.

The door to the compartment slid open, interrupting Ginny's thoughts, and she was joined by Neville and Luna. Neville beamed when his gaze fell upon Ginny, and when Luna's wide eyes had finally finished swivelling around the entire compartment, they too rested on Ginny, and her face split into a wide grin, as did Ginny's. She was genuinely happy to see her two friends again.

"Hey, Ginny," said Neville, as he and Luna took the two seats opposite Ginny, "How are you? How are Harry, Ron and Hermione?"

"I'm good thanks Neville," she said, and then completely ignored his last it didn't matter, because Luna answered it for her, her wide eyes full of knowledge, "They aren't coming back to school are they?"

Neville stared at Ginny, his eyes begging her to contradict what Luna had said. But she just nodded her head solemnly.

She looked up at him and said, "Well come on Neville, how could you have expected Harry to return to school when it's been overrun by Death Eaters?" Neville just stared at her, so she continued, "and of course Ron and Hermione won't be coming back, they'll go anywhere with Harry."

"So it's true then," he whispered, "I mean, I'd heard rumours, but… So, Harry's going to try and stop You-Know-Who?"

"That's the general idea," said Ginny bitterly.

Neville grinned, but his smile faltered a little as his thoughts caught up with him.

"It's going to be a strange year, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," she replied simply.

Their conversation grew less intense from then on as Ginny and Neville discussed Quidditch, and Luna came out with statements regarding the illegal use of Dirigible Plums during contest. Whenever she said anything regarding this, Ginny and Neville would catch each other's eye and then look away quickly, trying very hard not to laugh. As much as Ginny loved Luna, there were some things that they would never see eye to eye on. The correct use of Dirigible Plums was one of them.

*****

When Ginny entered the doors to the Great Hall, she felt none of the happiness that the Start of Term Feast usually brought her. She looked up at the High Table where the teachers sat, and sitting in the centre of the table in the high-backed chair that had forever been Dumbledore's, was Snape. He was wearing a satisfied smirk on his face, and Ginny was repulsed. All of the teachers, (except for the two sitting on either side of Snape), had the same look of worry etched across their faces.

Ginny and Neville said a quick goodbye to Luna, (who floated towards the Ravenclaw table) and took their places at the Gryffindor table. Neville spotted Seamus who looked oddly alone without his best friend Dean beside him, and waved him over to sit with them.

After all the students in second year and above were seated, the first years were led inside and the Sorting Hat was brought out on its stool. One by one they tried on the hat and it announced the house that they belonged in. Beginning with Aldwell, Freeda, (Ravenclaw), and ending with Yerrick, Samuel, (Gryffindor).

Once the Sorting was over, Snape stood up to say the headmaster's start of year speech. Ginny had the sudden urge to sink her fist into something.

"Welcome," he said with an arrogant smirk, staring around at the faces of the furious Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, and the positively gleeful faces of the Slytherins. "Welcome back to a new year at Hogwarts," Ginny didn't feel welcome at all, in fact she felt thoroughly unwanted. "As you are well aware, the wizarding world is undergoing many changes currently, these changes have made their way to Hogwarts. I am sure that you and your families will be pleased to find many alterations to the school's curriculum. Defence Against the Dark Arts is now compulsory for all year levels, and will be taught by Professor Amycus Carrow," the short, lumpy looking man at Snape's right stood to accept the applause coming from the Slytherin table. Snape continued, "Muggle Studies is also mandatory for all students and will be taught by Professor Alecto Carrow," the stocky woman on Snape's other side waved away the applause that the Slytherins gave her. And Snape went on, "These two new additions to our staff are now in charge of all discipline, and you shall be referred to them should you do anything wrong. We trust that you will accept any alterations that have been made to the school, and that you will not oppose your new authority. Any students who do so, will be punished." He paused to leer at the Gryffindor table before adding in a mockingly cheerful voice, "now, enjoy the feast."

Ginny and Neville glanced at each other, clenching their fists even harder under the table.

*****

Hi!! Thanks so much for reading..

This is my first fanfic so any comments or suggestions would be really appreciated.. Thanks!


	2. Defence Against the Dark Arts

**Chapter 2: (Defence Against) the Dark Arts**

The following day, Ginny met Neville in the Gryffindor common room and they made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. They took up their seats, grabbed some toast and looked up to see Professor McGonnagal handing out their new timetables.

She reached Neville and he was straight away cleared to continue all of the subjects that he'd studied the previous year, (much to his surprise); Herbology, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures, plus the now compulsory Muggle Studies.

When Professor McGonnagal got to Ginny they worked out a set of suitable subjects for her to continue studying which eventually ended up being; Charms, Transfiguration, Astronomy, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies. Professor McGonnagal tapped a sheet of parchment with her wand and handed it to Ginny. She glanced down at it and saw that her first lesson of the day was Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"Alright then," said Ginny, stuffing her last bit of toast into her mouth, "I'm off." She waved to Neville and dashed off to the Ravenclaw table to meet up with Luna.

"Hey," Ginny said, when she reached Luna.

"Hey," Luna replied with a smile.

"So, Defence Against the Dark Arts up first, could be interesting."

Luna laughed, "Yeah who knows what sort of things that Death Eater will want to teach us."

"Well c'mon, let's get going," said Ginny.

When they reached the classroom they took up two seats at the back and waited for Carrow to begin.

"So," he began, with his dull voice, "welcome to Defence Against the Dark Arts," he grinned at the word defence. "We'll begin today with a basic history of dark magic." He smiled grimly. "Now, dark magic," he continued, "has been present ever since magic itself has been present. All of the most powerful wizards in history have used dark magic - ".

Ginny snorted loudly and Carrow was cut off. The whole class turned to look at her, and her eyes widened as she realised what she had done.

"Ah, we have a Weasley in our midst. Was there something that you wanted to share?"

Ginny's brain was telling her to answer "No, there's nothing." But there was a voice in the back of her head that told to speak her mind, so instead she replied with -

"Yeah, I do have something that I want to share. Are you saying that it's impossible to become a powerful witch or wizard without using dark magic?"

"Yes, it's impossible for anyone to rise to prominence without - "

Ginny cut him off again, "Well what about Godric Gryffindor, did he use dark magic?"

"Yes," replied Carrow, "there are numerous counts of duels between Gryffindor and other wizards."

"Okay, so he duelled other wizards," said Ginny, "does that mean that he used dark magic?"

Carrow looked her in the eye and said, "It's not possible that Gryffindor, or any other wizard, could have become powerful without using dark magic."

Ginny replied in a low voice, "That's not true."

"Excuse me?" said Carrow, glaring at Ginny. "Can you come up with any other powerful wizards who never used dark magic."

"Hmm," said Ginny with a mocking forgetfulness, "there is one, what was his name again? Oh, that's right, Dumbledore."

Carrow sneered at Ginny, "Dumbledore can't be that powerful can he? In case you haven't noticed, he's dead."

Ginny was silent.

"And Weasley, detention. Don't interrupt my class again."

***

As Ginny and Luna walked out of the class, Luna turned to her and said, "It's our turn now, isn't it."

"What do you mean?" asked Ginny.

"I mean, it was always Harry, Ron and Hermione that stood up for everyone, but they aren't here anymore. So it's our turn."

"Yeah," said Ginny, thinking, "I guess it is."


End file.
